77 miles / 124 km done this week!
Averaging about 23km/day. So far so good! Needing a few tweaks with my shoes, and definitely feeling the sun burn. Future updates will have more detail as I get into the groove of trail life. It's amazing how little free time you have when on trail & living out of a bag. For now, here's a brief update for days 1-4.
Day 1: I left the terminus at 5pm and hiked a short 4.6 miles / 7.4 km to a water source & meadow. I camped alone and was spoiled with no wind that night. It was exciting to get started and see the familiar trail signs.
Day 2: I hiked the 15.6 miles / 25 km down into a steep valley and back up into Lake Morena, where there is a campground where hikers can gather and get water. I got some ice at the general store for my Insulin. This time the night was windyyyy and I didn't sleep much, but was glad I picked the lumpier tent spot behind a large bush for protection.
Day 3: hiked 11.8 miles / 19 km, with some nice cloud cover and breeze, mostly uphill. That night got below 0 and although my sleeping bag is rated to -7C I was frozen. Each hiker thought their gear was malfunctioning until realizing we had all been cold. Still feeling lots of energy but taking it easy to let my muscles adjust to trail life.
Day 4: 15.8 miles / 25.4 km: the trail passed through Mount Laguna where I had a delicious lettuce wrapped burger, diet coke, replaced the ice for my insulin, and charged my battery bank. I hiked out of town and enjoyed some of the first wide views before camping in a windy meadow. A hiker had packed out a beer which he generously shared among 4 of us that have been keeping pace today. One of my main guylines came unpegged, but my tent stayed up until I woke up later to it flapping around.
